Union Pacific’s last remaining steam engine departed from Cheyenne, Wyoming, on August 28, 2024. The one they call Big Boy is on its “Heartland of America Tour”. Big Boy No. 4014 will visit 10 states in eight weeks. We watched it roll through Collinsville, Texas, on Sunday, October 13.
It was sure an impressive sight to see, but it was a private event. So we found a hill to watch it proudly roll down the tracks. Some of the locations are private events and not open to the public. Usually, fans can find a way to Big Boy No. 4014 view from afar at the private events.
Other events are public, but sometimes there is no parking at the public events. Union Pacific asked fans to stand 25 feet back from the tracks. As of this writing, Big Boy No, 4014 is in Oklahoma. These states were and still are fortunate enough to see a small but larger-than-life part of railroad history:
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Texas
What Is so Special About the Big Boy Train?
The Union Pacific Big Boy is special for significant reasons. It is one of the most iconic steam engine locomotives in history. The Big Boy No. 4014 represents the pinnacle of steam engine power in terms of its design and its era. It is an everlasting symbol of American rail history.
Size and Power
The Big Boy is one of the most powerful steam locomotives ever designed, and one of the largest. Big Boy No. 4014 is 132-feet long and weighs around 1.2-million pounds. Its pure size is awe-inspiring. ALCO built Big Boys to pull weighty freight trains over the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, a tough route for most steam powered trains of their time.
Articulated Design
The Big Boy’s frame consists of two separate sets of driving wheels. This allows Big Boy to navigate tight s-curves and switchbacks while still delivering serious power to the rails. It is able to handle steep grades with heavy loads and is exceptionally effective on mountainous terrains.
A hinge mechanism connects the articulated sections of the Big Boy. This allows each set of driving wheels to swivel independently. As the locomotive moves through curves, the hinges enable the rear section to adjust its angle relative to the front section, maintaining stability and contact with the tracks.
Impressive Engineering
Big Boy boasts a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which lays out as four wheels on the leading truck, two sets of eight-driving wheels, and four wheels on the trailing truck. The Big Boy generates an unbelievable 6,290 horsepower. Its engineering represented the zenith of steam locomotive mechanization in the incubation period of train technology in the mid-20th century.
Historical Significance
The American Locomotive Company (ALCO) manufactured 25 Big Boy locomotives for Union Pacific. ALCO built 20 Big Boys in 1941 and five in 1944. The WWII war machine used Big Boys to haul heavy equipment and freight across the U.S. These steam engines left a lasting impact from their use in wartime logistics.
Legacy and Renovation
In 2019, Union Pacific brought Big Boy No. 4014 back to life after years of retirement. Big Boy No. 4014’s reunion with the tracks has enraptured train enthusiasts and history aficionados. There are only a few remaining steam engines of this kind in operation. The Big Boy tour offers an extraordinary opportunity to see this historic locomotive in operation and represents the golden age of railroads.
Big Boy Train FAQ
When Did the Big Boy Come to Texas?
The Big Boy train Texas tour is over. The Big Boy No. 4014 visited Texas in October 2024 on its Heartland of America Tour. The celebrated train stopped in Houston on October 6 and then moved to Fort Worth for public viewings on October 10th to the 13th.
The Big Boy was in Houston from October 5–7 and Fort Worth on October 10–13, and on display for the public. It rolled through many other Texas towns in between for private and public viewing events, like Hempstead, Mexia, and Navasota. The Big Boy No. 4014 concludes its 2024 “Heartland of America” tour in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on October 23.
How Many Cars Can a Big Boy Pull?
ALCO built the Big Boys for power. They worked as hard as three smaller engines. They pulled 120-car, 3,800-ton freight trains at 40 mph in the Utah and Wyoming mountain ranges. ALCO designed the Big Boys according to Union Pacific’s specifications.
How Fast Can a Big Boy Train Go?
ALCO designed Big Boy locomotives to reach a top speed of 80 mph and to maintain efficiency at high speeds. They usually operated at speeds between 30 and 60 mph when hauling heavy loads. These speeds ensured stability and safety on steep grades and challenging terrain.
What Is the Top Speed of Big Boy No. 4014?
ALCO tested Big Boys at speeds between 70 and 80 m.p.h. When in service, these models were limited to a top speed of 55 m.p.h. It took an engineer between one and one-and-a-half miles to stop completely from the time he engaged the Big Boy’s brakes.
The Big Boy will run at an average speed of 30.6 mph for the Heartland of America Tour. The Union Pacific’s public schedule shows that its two locomotives and their 9-car train will run on some sections with an average running speed as low as 14 mph and sprinting at an average of better than 60 mph on other sections.
When Union Pacific retired Big Boy No. 4014 in December 1961, he had rolled 1,031,205 miles in his 20 years in service. You can check out Union Pacific’s Heartland of America Tour’s schedule here.
Photo credit Fan Railer via Creative Commons.
Author: Kendall Davis
Author: Kendall Davis Company: Lumini Services Kendall currently lives on the shores of Lake Texoma in Texas. She traveled across two-thirds of the U.S. for many years camping at lakes, rivers, and three oceans before motels and hotels if at all possible, and she continuously saw God's presence in nature. Writing for Lakehub allows Kendall to share her experience with God's creations. https://kdavis1836.wixsite.com/luminiwrites
